Cloward attempted to track the bear for about an hour before abandoning the effort. By the size of the paw prints, he estimated the animal weighed 300-400 pounds. Cloward said he planned to return to the area Tuesday night.

"If the bear shows back up in the neighborhood any time soon it will most likely be dispatched," said Peters. Both the state troopers and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game agree it should be killed if it reappears, she said, because the bear went "too far" pursuing the boy.

"It's unfortunate, but it's a public safety issue," Cloward said. "She's programmed to do what she's going to do."

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